Parachute



Sept- 3, 1953 A. J. sTElNTl-IAL 2,651,481

PARACI-IUTE Filed May 22, 1951 s sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1953 A. J. STEINTHAL PARACHUTE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 22, 1951 :El-r.; E

1N VENTOR 'A aal/s ws Ja/f/v arf/NMA L' TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARACHUTE Augustus John Steinthal, New York, N, Y.

Application May 22, 1951, Serial No. 227,690

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in parachutes and more particularly to a parachute of the type used for dropping large and heavy objects, such as guns, tanks, and other military apparatus and supplies, or the like, from an airplane.

One of the objects of the invention is to' provide a parachute having a canopy of a construction and formation formed with spaced slots extending in parallel relation and constituting passages through which air may escape, whereby the canopy will be prevented from tearing in its descent with the load attached and the control of the speed of such descent maintained.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a canopy formed of a plurality of spaced apart sections or segments, secured together through the medium of a plurality of transverse and longitudinal strips.

A still further object resides in the provision of a parachute in which the geometric porosity can be easily calculated, controlled, and varied as desired by changing the arrangement and dimensions of the openings.

A further object resides in the provision of a canopy with seamed edges and also with reinforcing strips extending in crossed relation to each other between marginal edges of the canopy, serving to materially reinforce the latter, certain of said strips having looped ends projecting from the margins of the canopy for engagement with shroud lines.

Still another object of the invention resides in the formation of terminal loopsof double thickness to overcome possibility of tearing under strain.

A still further object resides in the arrangement of the cross strips n the canopy so that the shroud lines connected therewith will be arranged in groups and the downward pull of the load suspended from the canopy will be at the margins of the latter in such manner that pockets will be formed in said canopy, enabling the air to flow freely and effectively through the slots as the parachute descends.

A still further object resides in the provision of a parachute which is comparatively simpleV and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be most eilicient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a Dart of this application:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the parachute, constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken through a marginal portion of the canopy, along the line 2--2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View upon an enlarged scale showing a marginal portion of the canopy in top plan;

Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the central portion of the canopy upon an enlarged scale;

Figure 7 is a sectional View, taken along the line '1 -1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view upon an enlarged scale showing the looped end portion of a shroud engaging strip in top plan;

Figure 9 is a sectional view, taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 8;

VFigure 10 is "a view upon an enlarged scale, taken along the line lil--IU of Figure 11, and showing the lower portion of a shroud line and a riser carried thereby, partially in elevation and partially in section; w

`Figurell is a sectional View, taken along the line l l'-I I of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a view upon an enlarged scale showing a shroud line carried by-a looped Strip, the view being taken along the line l2-I2 0f Figure 13; p'

Figure 13 is a view in elevation, looking from the left of Figure 12; l l

' Figure 14 is a diagrammatic ViewV illustrating the relation of the shroud lines to the canopy; and

Figure l5 is a diagrammatic View showing the parachute in side elevation.

As is well known, parachutes are now being used for military and other purposes to drop large and heavy articles and apparatus from airplanes. For such purposes, the canopies of the parachutes must, necessarily, be materially larger and l more highly reinforced than those produced for the dropping of individuals from airplanes. By the same token,` the canopy must be designed differently and constructed differently, in order to give the most eiiicient results. The parachute presently used for the purposes aforesaid have been found to be faulty in many respects and it is the purpose of this invention to provide a parachute which will overcome the difIiculties 3 presently encountered and which will produce the most efficient results.

To this end, I provide a parachute which consists briefly of a canopy l, shroud or suspension lines 2 which are arranged in groups having their lower ends connected with the ends of a bar 3, and risers 4 depending from the ends of said bar 3 to which a load. or, if desired, a pilots harness may be connected;

The canopy I may be formed of any desired material, such as nylon, silk, plastic, or other suitable material, and is designed rectangularly same being formed from a plurality of strips; ora

sections 5 which extend the full width of the canopy in one direction. These strips or Asections are arranged in spaced relation to; f cgrrn-l slptsor spaces B therebetween, constituting vents through 4 said canopy, in addition to the spaced loops at the end edges thereof.

At the center of the canopy, as best shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, are strips 2'I which are secured by lines of cross-stitching 28 which have crimped or overlapped central portions forming loops 29, to which a static line may be secured. These loops 2li` may be formed from separate strips, as shown, or same may be formed from central portions of the vstrips I5 and 25 which cross at the center of the canopy.

which the air may iiow during the use or the parachute. These vent openings prevent tearing of the fabric or material ofi which the; canopy is made and also serve to controli. to.some extent, the speed at which thedescent with. load attached is made.

Thev side edge-portions of thestripslor sections 5 are folded inwardly upon themselves to form flat hems 1, as shown in Figure` 2 of. the draw,- ings, and. in. referring.- tov this figure, .it willbe seen that the fabric or other material in theform of reinforcing tapesv or narrow strips 8. extend along upper sur-faces ot the hemmed edges, same being secured by lines of v*stitol'iingf 5 whichalso serve to secure. the seams. Opposite; ends of the strips or sections 5 are:folded. toform flat, hems I li, secured-.by linesof stitching IgI.

Theend sections of the canopy aredesignated by the numeral 5 and it will be seen that while the inner side. edges. off' these` end sections. are

formed with hems corresponding,l tothe. hems 1 asshown in Figure 3;. the outer side edge portions thereof are folded. to form` hemeV I2l which are secured by lines offstitching I-3-and.reinforced-Y by tapes or strips I4` enclosedwithin thehems, as best shown in Figure 5 of thedrawings.

Extending transverselyof the canopy inv crossing relation to-the sections Stand 5f" are the strips or tapes I5 and I.6arranged,in spaced and alter.

nating relationto each other., same beingisecured.V

wardly to form turned under ends 2U whiclrareV rmly secured against; the reinforcingjstrips extending longitudinally of theV outerY s ideedge portions ofthe end sections 5', as shownin-Egure 5 of the drawings.

The strips or Webs I5 and I9 are of such length' that the end portionsthereof extend beyond the outer side edges of the end sections. 5 and' are foldedv back uponthemselves, asfvshown'at I5' and I9', to form extensions .iizdwhich-l are-stitched tof.- gether by lines of cross-stitchingl 273i and;l forming loops 24 of double thicknesa'as-best shown-in:

Figure 9 of the drawings.v

Strips 25, corresponding to the strips I5 and I9, extend longitudinally; ofalternate: sectionsg- 5f.

and have extended end. portions. folded and-se;- cured to form loops 26, corresponding toithelloops 24. Itvwill thus beseen,that the canopy which. has the outline of a rectangle .whenattenedout as shown in Figure l., and alsoinEigurell'fy has a.

multiplicity of loopsarranged spacedrelation! The shroud lines 2 are each formed from companion strips 3! which may be made of canvas or other suitable material and stitched together in face-to-face engagement. Eyes 3l having Shanks 32; mounted; longitudinally between upper portions of the strips 30 project from the upper ends-of the shroud lines and are adapted for engagement with the loops 24 and 26 projecting from the canopy; The outer.1 orv lower portions of the shroud. lines arereinforced bystrongcordsf. or rodsY 33. and the outer. ends of` said: shroud. lines areprovided with eyes34: whichlare engagedI with the ring members 3.5 to. which. the ends off the risers 4 and the spreader' barY 3'. are conneetedg. as best shown. in Figures 10 and lit of. the drawings,

Referring. particularly to. Figures 14'. and. 15.1off the drawings, it will be seen` that thereare twenty shroud lines., ten. ofwhich are connected with. one of the. rings -35 and the remainder connected' with. a. similarv ring. While. I.. do. not wishA tof bei lim--A ited necessarily to any particular number of.` shroud lines, it will' be seen thatsaid lines are arrangedY in two groups, so. that. the pull will be, evenly distributed'v along the. marginali edgesI of the canopy as. the parachute: descends. When and if this construction. of parachute is used" by an individual, it will. enable him.` to pull' the shroud lines tov tilt thecanopy on oneside or thev other. and. thus. assist in guiding. the descent.

From the foregoing description` ofthe construe tion of my improved parachute, the'method' of`as seinblngv same and. the use. thereof. will be readily understood, and. it will*l bassen; that I- have-provided a comparatively simple', inexpensive` and-I efficient.. means forV carrying out the various ob-` jects of. the invention..

While I have particularly describedthev ele-- ments` best adapted. to.- perform the functionsset; forth, it is apparent that various changes inform; proportion. and in the-minor details of construction. may beresortedlto, without'departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of! the principles of the invention.

Having; thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is: Y

l` A. parachute comprising arectangular canopy having sections spaced; transversely` from, each other and providing air-outlets; spaced between` the .said sections, strips secured'acrossv said sections, strips secured=longfitudinally upon certain of. said sections, the last mentioned stripsl and alternate ones of the firs-t strips` having end portions-extending' frorn'edgesof the canopyl and folded back uponl themselves and secured to formloops spaced froml each-otherlongitudinally of margins of the canopy and` connected' there: with by Shanks of multiple thickness*L a cross bar, rings ton which opposite ends ofi the cross barareconnected,l shroudV lines-having upper ends individuallyy connected with companion" ones of said.' loops, said shroud# linesl being arrangedL in groups and having lower endsofthe s hroudflines' t0 011 another, lrlgtudinallymf thesidaedges of;` 75 0f the groups being connectedtwth. the. rmgs. at.

opposite ends of the cross bar, and risers connected with and extending downwardly from said rings.

2. A parachute comprising a canopy of rectangular outline and having elongated air escape openings extending in one direction the full distance between opposite sides edges of the canopy, strips secured against the canopy and extending across the same in crossed relation to each other and formed at their ends with loops projecting from marginal edges of the canopy and spaced from each other longitudinally of the side edges, certain of said strips extending across the outlet openings and serving to limit spreading of the openings, shroud lines having upper ends connected with said loops, lower ends of selected ones of said shrouds being brought together and connected with rings and thereby forming groups of shrouds, and a cross bar extending between and havingits ends connected with the rings.

3. A parachute comprising a canopy of rectangular outline consisting of a plurality of sections spaced transversely from each other and thereby providing air escape openings in the canopy, strips extending across the canopy transversely of said sections and secured thereto, other strips extending across the canopy longitudinally of certain of the sections and secured thereto, certain of said strips having end portions projecting from marginal edges of the canopy and folded back upon themselves and secured in lapped relation to the sections and forming loops having shanks of multiple thickness, shrouds having eyes at upper ends engaged through said loops, there being eyes at lower ends of the shrouds and providing groups of shrouds connected at their lower ends, and a cross bar extending between and at its ends connected with said rings.

4. A parachute comprising a canopy of rectangular outline consisting of a plurality of sections spaced transversely from each other and thereby providing air escape openings in the canopy, strips extending across the canopy transversely of said sections and secured thereto, other strips extending across the canopy longitudinally of certain of the sections and secured thereto,

certain of said strips having end portions formed with loops projecting from margins of the canopy, and shrouds having eyes at their upper ends engaged through said loops and suspending the shrouds from the loops.

5. A parachute comprising a canopy of rectangular outline consisting of a plurality of sections extending the full width of the canopy in one direction between opposite side edges thereof and disposed in transversely spaced relation to each other and forming air escape slots between the said sections for the full length thereof, and shroud lines connected with said sections and spaced from each other longitudinally of marginal edges of the canopy and extending downwardly therefrom.

6. A parachute including a canopy of rectangular outline having elongated sections extending the full distance between opposite side edges and having straight side edges spaced transversely from each other and thereby forming air escape slots between spaced edges of the said sections for the full length thereof and each of the same Width throughout its length, strips mounted against upper surfaces of said sections and extending the full distance between opposite side edges of the canopy, certain of said strips extending across the slots and limiting spreading of the slots, and shroud lines connected with ends of the strips and extending downwardly from the canopy.

AUGUSTUS JOHN STEINTHAL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,412,800 Cooper Apr. 11, 1922 1,842,450 Hoffman Jan. 26, 1932 1,951,864 Driggs Mar. 20, 1934 2,053,342 Knight Sept. 8, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 121,725 Sweden May 18, 1948 e 454,437 France Apr. 28, 1913 874,034 France Apr. 13, 1942 

